These are my 10 Bar course knowledge subject tips. These tips will help you, regardless of your provider. So whether you are doing City's BVS, the BTC or the BPC, this should be of assistance to you*.
1. Always use the syllabus when studying: the syllabus will tell you what you need to know - and in what level of detail - as well as what you don't need to know. Never make assumptions - always check the syllabus.
2. Begin with understanding each topic. Trying to learn something thoroughly without understanding it, is almost impossible. If that means you start with lecture notes, textbooks, revision guides, that is fine. Work your way through the resources you have been provided, pausing when you come across something you don’t understand and addressing that problem before moving on.
3. Once you have that understanding, you can start to drill down into the detail. You will need to look at the specific wording of certain rules and provisions. Now is when you need to crack open your Blackstones and White Book. The subtle differences between “may” and “must” are important here, also the factors involved in discretionary decisions, etc. Using the syllabus as set out above, you need to be clear about which rules are tested, which cases you need to know by name, which Practice Directions (PD) you need to have checked (and which paragraphs), which paragraphs of Blackstones and the White Book you need to have read and made bullet point notes on.
4. Do not cut any corners. There are no quick fixes. You need to cover everything. You then will need to revise everything. My favourite topic as a tutor might never come up; I am not writing the exam paper! So you can’t expect any hints from tutors or former students.
5. Make your own notes. They will help you make your own sense of the material. EVEN IF your provider gives you documents, slides etc. They can help you with your understanding. But because you have not organised the information yourself, it will not "stick" as well. Think about how you want to make your own notes. Some prefer to type their notes. If you do, then you must ensure you are meticulous about saving and backing everything up. However, old school handwriting works for a lot of people. The research paper "The Pen is Mightier than the Keyboard" (Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014) suggests that the link to memory from writing is better than with typing. The challenge with paper notes is organisation and filing. Whether you use paper or typed notes, make sure you date everything. Immediately after a session, make sure you fill in any gaps in your notes; do it while your mind is fresh.
6. Participate in your sessions. It is only by attempting the questions that you will be able to bring your knowledge together into a cohesive whole. Being able to explain your understanding will clarify and deepen your knowledge. The BVS is very much a “Learning by doing” course – (social constructivist/constructivist pedagogy). Sitting back will not assist you constructing your own knowledge.
7. Form a study group from the outset. Supporting each other, learning from each other's insights are important. We are also social animals. It is good not to feel alone. Covering the material with a group can help lessen the load - divide the topics between you. You can hold your study group sessions in person or online, depending on when you want your sessions and where you all are located.
8. Think about the questions you are being asked to answer in class. What facts are being used in the question? Why these particular clues? What are the clues in the question to trigger the relevant knowledge? What sub-questions do you need to know the answers to in order to be able to answer the main question?
9. Test yourself regularly. Testing helps train the brain's recall. The top quizzers in the world regularly use self-testing to keep their knowledge fresh. A "test" doesn't always have to have the purpose of obtaining a pass mark - training your brain is just as useful. Many students avoid testing themselves because they worry about not achieving the pass mark, and so they put off doing mocks and tests; they only test themselves at the end of their revision period. This is the wrong approach as the testing is not to check if you can pass – it is a learning technique in itself. You can use the questions provided by your law school, or you can try to write your own, or get your study group to write a few questions each to create a “paper”. At its simplest, you can just cover up your notes and see how much you remember.
10. Start as you mean to go on. Especially at the beginning of the course, because work piles up and the concepts become more complex as you progress. Keep up as well as you can. If you fall behind, try to catch up. Don't leave making your full set of notes to the last minute. Don't leave trying to understand the subject matter to the revision period.
Good luck with your studies.
* BVS = Bar Vocational Studies, BTC = Bar Training Course, BPC = Bar Practice Course
This is an expanded and updated version of my blog post on BPTC knowledge tips, which you can find here: https://snigsclassroom.blogspot.com/2018/10/10-bptc-knowledge-subject-tips.html
